Valve-gear for steam-engines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. BLAHA. VALVE GEAR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

N. PETERS PhuloLilhographur. Wisninglnn, D, C-

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. BLAHA. VALVE GEAR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

No. 408,452. Patented Aug. 6, 1889..

/ II/A 1 64k N. PETERS, Pholo-Lhhngnphur. Wflhingion. D. Cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTON BLAHA, OF MILWAUKEE, W'ISGONSIN.

VALVE-G EAR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,452, dated August6, 1889.

Application filed May 4:, 1889. Serial No. 309,564. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON BLAHA, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Valve-Gears for Steam-Engines; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to steam-engines; and it consists in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts, to be herein--after described with reference to the accompanying drawings, andsubsequently claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents an elevation of one side of anengine constructed according to my invention, certain of the parts beingbroken away for the purpose of better illustration; Fig. 2, a similarview of a portion of the engine, looking at the side opposite that shownin the preceding figure; Fig. 3, a front elevation of a portion of saidengine; Figs. 4 to 11, inclusive, detail views illustrating theoperation of the valve-gear; and Fig. 12, a vertical transverse sectionof the cylinder and valves.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents the standards of myengine provided with base-flanges B, and bolted to these standards attheir upper ends is a cylinder C for a piston D, that has its rod D fastin a crosshead E on a plate E, that plays up'and down between guides Fon the standards A, as is best illustrated in Fig. 3. A rod G runsthrough the cross-head E, and dependingfrom this rod are links H,pivotally connected to links I, that are in turn pivoted to thestandards A, and the pivot b, uniting the links H I, also serves toconnect them with another link J, pivoted to suspension-links K, thathave their bearing on a rod K, rigidly secured in brackets L on saidstandards. The pivot that unites the links J K also serves to connectthem with another link M, that is in turn connected to a crank-shaft N,supported in suitable bearings and designed for rigid connection with afly-wheel, the latter being illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Arranged on opposite sides of the cylinder 0 are chambers O P for valvesQ R, the chamber .0 being connected to a steam-supply pipe S and thechamber P with a steam-exhaust pipe S, as is best illustrated in Fig.12, and the latter valve-chamber is provided with a petcock P.

Connecting the cylinder C with the valvechamber 0 are ports or pipes cd, and ports or pipes e f connect said cylinder and valvechamber I, asis best illustrated in Fig. 3, said ports or pipes being alternatelyopened or closed by the movement of valves Q R, as will be hereinaftermore particularly described.

Rigidly secured to the stem Q of the Valve Q is a notched disk g,inclosed by a circular casing T, loose on said stem and toothed upon itsperiphery to engage a rack-bar U, the latter being coupled at its lowerend to the rod G and provided at its upper end with a slot 71, to permitof vertical play on a bracket 11, projecting from the cylinder 0, thisbracket also serving as a support for an arm Q that forms a bearing forthe said valvestem.

Pivotally secured within the casing T are springcontrolled dogs j j foralternate engagement with the notched disk 9 on the valve-stem Q, thesedogs being lifted by an arm 70, that projects from the valve-chamber Oand enters a slot m in said casing. Another disk V is fast on thevalve-stem Qand provided with studs n n for engagement with slottedupper ends of spring-controlled plungers V \V, that work in dash-pots XX, pivotally connected to stationary brackets 0 0, as is bestillustrated in Fig. 1.

Connected at its lower end to the rod G is a slotted bar U, that movesvertically on a bracket 2', projecting from cylinder C, and said barcarries fingers p p,that come in and out of contact with a finger g onthe stem R of valve R, this stem being supported at its outer end in abearing 1' on the exhaust-pipe S, and said valve is held against itsseat by means of a spring R coiled around its stem between the bearing1' and finger q, as is best illustrated in Fig. 3. The finger p ispreferably vertically adjustable on the bar U, as is best illustrated inFig. 10, and therefore the finger g on the valve-stein R can be trippedat longer or shorter intervals, as may be found desirable.

In the operation of my engine steam is admitted through pipe S into thechamber 0, and the port or pipe being open the piston D in the cylinder0 will be actuated in a downward direction, while at the same time thevalve Q will be partially rotated by the engagement of the disk 9 on thevalvestem Q with the spring-controlled dog j, that is pivoted to thecasing T, thereby actuating the disk V against the resistance. of thespring-controlled plunger The partial rotation of the casing T causesthe dog j to be lifted out of engagement with the notched disk 9 bymeans of the arm 70, and the plunger recoils, and thus the travel of thevalve Q is reversed to cut off the admission of steam to the chamber 0,while at the same time the dogj comes into engagement with said disk. Bythe momentum of the flywheel the casing T and valve Q continue thereverse movement, the port or pipe (I is opened and steam admitted tothe cylinder 0 to cause the upstroke of the piston D, the disk V beingrotated against the resistance of the spring-controlled plunger W untilsuch time as the arm I; lifts dog j out of engagement with disk g toallow of the latter being brought to its normal position by the recoilof said plunger to thereby cut off the steam as said piston finishes itsupstroke. The bar U moves with the one U, and thus the valve R isalternately rotated in opposite directions by the action of the fingerspp on the finger q, secured to the stem R of said valve, whereby theports or pipes e f are likewise alternately opened and closed to permitthe escape of steam from the cylinder.

The reciprocating movement of the pistonrod D is communicated to thecrank-shaft N through the medium of the link-gear above described, andby this construction I increase the leverage, save the wear thatordinarily occurs where a piston-rod has a direct crank-connection witha drive-shaft, and at the same time I lessen the jar occasioned by thelatter construction when said pistonrod passes the dead-centers.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a steam-engine, the combination of a valve having a stem providedwith a notched disk rigid thereon, a slotted casing surrounding the diskand provided with spring-eontrolled dogs for alternate engagement withthe same, an arm projected into the casing to come in the path of thedogs, and suitable means for actuating said casing alternately inopposite directions and for returning the valve to its normal positionafter the disengagement of either dog from the notched disk,substantially as set forth.

2. In a steam-engine, the combination of a valve having a stem providedwith a notched disk rigid thereon, a slotted and toothed casingsurrounding the disk and provided with spring-controlled dogs foralternate engagement with the same, an arm projected into the casing tocome in the path of the dogs, a rack-bar connected to the piston-rod ofthe engine to mesh with the teeth on said casing, and suitable means forreturning the valve to its normal position after disengagement of eitherdog from the notched disk, substantially as set forth.

3. In a steam-engine, the combination ofa cylinder, its valve-chambersand ports, an inlet-valve having a stem provided with a notched diskrigid thereon, a slotted casing surrounding the disk and provided withspring-controlled dogs for alternate engagement with the same, an armprojected into the casing to come in the path of the dogs, suitablemeans for partially rotating said casing alternately in oppositedirections, opposing dash-pot plungers connected to said valvestem, anexhaust-valve and suitable means for actuating the latter valve,substantially as set forth.

4;. I11 a steam-engine, the combination of a cylinder, itsvalve-chambers and ports, an inlet-valve having a stem provided with anotched disk rigid thereon, a slotted and toothed casing surrounding thedisk and provided with spring-controlled dogs for alternate engagementwith the same, an arm projected into the casing to come in the path ofthe dogs, a rack-bar connected to the pistonrod of the engine to meshwith the teeth on said casing, suitable means for returning saidinlet-valve to its normal position after disengagement of either (logwith the notched disk, an exhaust-valve also provided with a stem, afinger projecting from the latter stem, and a bar also actuated by saidpiston-rod and provided with fingers to operate alternately upon thevalve-stem finger, substantially as set forth.

5. In a steam-engine, the combination of a piston-rod, a crankshaft,links depending from the piston-rod, links pivoted to the engine-standards and said depending links, another link pivotally unitedto those aforesaid and likewise connected to other links pivotallysuspended from said standards, and another link connecting saidsuspension-links and the one immediately adjacent thereto with saidcrank-shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Viscousin, in thepresence of two witnesses.

ANTON BLAHA.

Witnesses:

N. E. OLIPI-IANT, WILLIAM KLUG.

